Wheel removal safety device

ABSTRACT

A rotating or swiveling plate is mounted on bearings above a stationary bed plate so that it may assume an acute angle with the bed plate to provide a ramp or incline for the vehicle wheel to ride upon. When the vehicle rises to a predetermined height on the ramp, gravity causes the rotating plate to assume a horizontal position where it is held by a suitable automatic positive stop, the wheel then being elevated and ready for the next step in removal.

States Patent 1 91 8,784,161 1451 Jan. 8, 1974 [54] WHEEL REMOVAL SAFETYDEVICE 1,401,463 12/1921 Cordes 254/88 76 I t: RlhL.F 3l09R Rd.,Pl 1nven or 13 zg 085 a 0 Primary Examiner--Othell M. SimpsonAttorney-Alfons Puishes [22] Filed: July 8, 1971 211 App]. No.: 160,831ABSTRACT A rotating or swiveling plate is mounted on bearings [52 us.c1. 254/88, 254/94 above a stationary bed Plate that it may assume an 511m. (:1. E02c 3/00, B66f 7/22 acute angle with the bed Plate to Providea ramp or [58] Field of Search 254/88 94 ihchhe the vehicle wheel totide "P"- when the vehicle rises to a predetermined height on the ramp,[56] References Cited gravity causes the rotating plate to assume ahorizontal position where it is held by a suitable automatic UNITEDSTATES PATENTS positive stop, the wheel then being elevated and ready1,961,873 6/1934 Edmonds 254/88 for the next Step in removal 3,326,5256/1967 Kauppi 254/88 1,408,408 2/1922 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Scott254/88 PATENTED 8 H I H 1 Fig.4

a nu a g I u an INVENTOR.

Fig.3

M; w m m F A L 0 RW Y .7 B

WHEEL REMOVAL SAFETY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem ofsafe removal of wheels from automotive or other vehicles for purposes ofrepair, tire changing, etc., is one of as long standing as arethevehicles themselves.

Conventional jacks of the axle or bumper type are well known as aretheir disadvantages when used alone. The latter include difficulty inaccess, cumbersomeness and what is most important, danger from slippingand permitting the vehicle to fall before it can be raised in position,thereby causing damage to the vehicle or injury to the person or both.

The problem is aggravated in the case of vehicles such as campers,tractors and pick-ups where the clearance between the vehicle body andthe ground is small. In the case of foreign cars where the wheels aredesigned to bend inward, the problem is further aggravated.

On some vehicles the spare wheel is located underneath the body, makingit necessary to go under the body while the latter is in an elevatedposition to get to the spare wheel which is especially dangerous whenconventional jacks are used alone.

In the case of heavy vehicles and particularly those having doublewheels, the safety problem is also very acute. Attempts have been madeto solve the problem in these cases by utilizing wooden support blockshaving an inclined end, the latter permitting the vehicle to run up uponthe block. The cumbersomeness and hazard of employing such a block isobvious.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention comprises essentially a lever,preferably of structural steel construction, arranged to pivot aroundhorizontal pins or a fulchrum at approximately its center point. Thepivots or fulcrum are supported structurally at a slightly elevatedheight above a base which forms an integral part of the device. Thelever member may be lowered to form an inclined plane and thus serve asa drive-up plate for a vehicle wheel to ascend upon. After the wheeladvances to a point such that its center of gravity is beyond thefulchrum or pivots, the plate or lever revolves around the pivots untilit is in a horizontal position when a suitably positioned stopautomaticallyprevents further motion. Provision is made to preventforward motion of the fulchrum supports. Aconventional jack may then beplaced under the vehicle axle and the wheel raised sufficiently to makepossible its removal with complete safety.

The entire device is so constructed as to permit ready assembly for useand disassembly and storage within the vehicle when not in use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of my inventionshowing it in position to receive the wheel to be removed.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing my invention with the wheel elevatedupon it.

FIG. 3 is an end view along lines 3-3 of my invention in an elevatedposition to better illustrate its component parts.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section along lines 4-4.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figures,there is seen the bed plate or base 1 which is disposed to receive sideplates or fulchrum supports 2 on opposite sides. Side plates 2 areremovably positioned in horizontal slots or recesses 3 which form a partof base 1.

Lever member or drive-up plate 4 is equipped with rocker pins 5positioned therein and disposed to ride in slots 6 which act as bearingsurfaces in side plates 2.

A trip plate or stop 7 rides on hinge 8 positioned on one end of plate4. An arcuate shaped stop guide 9 is fixed in position by means ofsupport 10 and base 1 by welding or otherwise.

Flexible members 11 which may be chains or similar devices are securedto side plates 2 and base 1 to prevent undue motion of plates 2 inrecesses 3.

While I prefer to fabricate my device from ordinary mild steel usingwelding where applicable and as seen on the drawings, I may also employstampings and utilize high strength aluminum or other alloys as will beevident to those skilled in the art.

It should be evident also that utilizing the construction shown I mayreadily assemble my device by merely inserting side plates 2 into slots3 which form a part of base 1 as described above. I then insert pins 5in slots 6 and my device is ready for use as described below. Whenfinished with the device I may readily disassemble it by reversing theabove steps and then store my device in the vehicle if desired.

OPERATION To use my device I first remove it from storage and assembleit as described above. I then place it on the ground with plate 4 in aninclined position and up against the periphery of the wheel to beremoved and in the direction of travel as shown in FIG. 1.

I then drive the vehicle in the direction shown by the horizontal arrowof FIG. 1 so that the wheel climbs the ramp formed by plate 4 until itscenter of gravity goes beyond pins 5. When this occurs, plate 4 willrotate about pins 5 in recesses 6 and approach a horizontal position.While this is occurring, trip plate or stop 7 will rotate around hinge 8and its lower edge strike the surface of stop guide 9. The latter actsas a cam and guides stop 7 so that it finally bears on the top surfaceof base 1 and, combined with the weight of the vehicle, locks the latterin place with the wheel in an elevated position. Access to the underside of the vehicle may now be had with complete safety for the purposeof removing a spare wheel, inserting a jack, etc.

When the wheel has been replaced it may be lowered again on plate 4 andthe vehicle backed off and down the ramp formed by plate 4 just as soonas the center of gravity passes over the center of pins 5.

The chains or similar devices 11 prevent undue movement of side plates 2in slots 3 while the wheel is advancing on plate 4.

A special advantage of my invention is found in the case of double tiredvehicles found on heavy trucks. In these cases, by use of my deviceunder the inner tire, the outer one may be removed without the use ofany jack whatsoever.

The tremendous advantages in convenience and safety attained through useof my device and the manner in which I have solved long standingproblems should now be evident to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A device for aid in removal of vehicle wheels comprising:

a stationary horizontal bed plate; vex configuration fixedly positionedon said bed a pair of vertical side plates positioned on opposite platein cooperative relation with said arm of said parallel edges of said bedplate; hi d mbe mans Posmoned at the upper ends of each whereby therotating motion of said rotating plate is of said side plates; 5

stopped when said plate has attained a horizontal position by the actionof said arm on said bed plate. 2. The device of claim 1 in which saidside plates and a rotating flat plate pivotally mounted in said bearingmeans to permit rotation of said plate in a vertical plane; a hingedmember pivotally mounted in one end of said vertical plates areremovably pos tioned on said said rotating plate, bed plate Said hingedmember having an arm disposed f 3. The device of claim 2 including meansfor limiting pension in a generally vertical direction; the horizontalmovement of said side plates. a stationary guide member of generallyarcuate con-

1. A device for aid in removal of vehicle wheels comprising: astationary horizontal bed plate; a pair of vertical side platespositioned on opposite parallel edges of said bed plate; bearing meanspositioned at the upper ends of each of said side plates; a rotatingflat plate pivotally mounted in said bearing means to permit rotation ofsaid plate in a vertical plane; a hinged member pivotally mounted in oneend of said rotating plate, said hinged member having an arm disposedfor suspension in a generally vertical direction; a stationary guidemember of generally arcuate convex configuration fixedly positioned onsaid bed plate in cooperative relation with said arm of said hingedmember, whereby the rotating motion of said rotating plate is stoppedwhen said plAte has attained a horizontal position by the action of saidarm on said bed plate.
 2. The device of claim 1 in which said sideplates and said vertical plates are removably positioned on said bedplate.
 3. The device of claim 2 including means for limiting thehorizontal movement of said side plates.